McLane Elevates Fresh Food Experience With New Program
TEMPLE, Texas — McLane Co. Inc. is elevating the foodservice experience for convenience retailing with the unveiling of McLane Fresh at its national trade show, McLane Engage, taking place Aug. 29-31 in Dallas.
During McLane Engage, attendees can experience a taste of McLane Fresh, whose family of brands include CupZa!, a reimagined and revolutionary beverage program; a proprietary pizza program; and an expanded selection of McLane's highly successful grab-and-go brand, Central Eats.
Convenience stores are seeing an increase in demand for and sales of fresh and higher-quality food products from consumers seeking healthier on-the-go options. As a result, convenience stores are elevating their foodservice programs and in-store experiences to compete with fast food and quick-service restaurants, McLane stated.
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"Fresh food programs present a tremendous opportunity for convenience store operators of all sizes — from independently owned locations to nationwide chains. McLane Fresh provides a full suite of foodservice at retail solutions," said Chris Smith, president of McLane Retail. "The exciting lineup of products and services introduced today are just the beginning of a comprehensive offering designed to meet the growing demands of consumers and provide retailers the products and services they need to be successful."
CupZa! features artisan coffees, cold brews, teas and lemonades with new flavors and drink styles, offering unparalleled value and variety to retailers, according to McLane. Central Eats' new chef-inspired menu items expand and satisfy growing demand for healthier options on the go. Attendees were also introduced to fresh-baked pizza uniquely tailored for convenience.
"We are committed to being a strategic growth partner to our customers," said Vito Maurici, customer experience officer at McLane. "McLane Fresh anticipates and seamlessly fulfills the dynamic expectations of today's consumers, positioning convenience stores as hubs for culinary excellence on the go. This expansion underscores McLane's commitment to delivering exceptional foodservice products and services for our customers wherever they are on their foodservice journey."
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Menu innovation for McLane Fresh will be led by corporate culinary chef Farley Kaiser, who recently joined the company as senior director of culinary innovation. Kaiser previously served as senior director of fresh food and beverage at Pittsburgh-based GetGo Café+Market. She brings extensive experience cultivating growth and culinary excellence through strategic initiatives as the corporate executive chef for leading convenience and restaurant brands, and culinary department chair at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
In addition to a robust selection of on-trend items, McLane Fresh provides marketing support, merchandising, competitively priced equipment bundles and expert guidance to meet retailers where they are on their foodservice journey. Both independents and nationwide chain customers can differentiate their food offerings by utilizing McLane’s commissary kitchen network to offer shorter shelf-life products with more frequent deliveries to ensure quality and freshness, the distributor said.
More information on McLane Fresh and other convenience store solutions from McLane is available here.
Temple-based McLane is one of the largest distributors in America, serving convenience stores, mass merchants and chain restaurants with more than 80 distribution centers across the country. McLane is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.